Chinese EV Manufacturer BYD Chooses Los Angeles As U.S. Headquarters

Los Angeles scored a major leg up in the green car development front as it announced today the city had been chosen by BYD, a Chinese alternative-energy auto maker, as the site for its North American headquarters. The electric car manufacturer, which has the backing of billionaire investor Warren Buffett, is hoping to establish a foothold in the American marketplace.

BYD said it plans to hire for 150 jobs throughout 2010 and 2011 as it rolls out its fleet of vehicles to California markets first before expanding throughout the country. It will take occupancy of its new location in downtown Los Angeles by the end of year, where it plans to showcase its vehicles, solar panels, energy storage systems and advanced LED lighting products. The city itself is quite happy with scoring such a company, as it sees this as an important step forward in attracting green businesses.

image via BYD

BYD has been busy in development of electric vehicles, showcasing first the F3DM dual-mode electric vehicle in December 2008. The company is next looking to launch the e6, a pure electric vehicle with a range over 200 miles.It was recently ranked by BusinessWeek as the 8th most innovative company in the world and Fast Company ranked it as the 16th most innovative company in the world, the only automaker to make the top 50 list.

I am the editor-in-chief and founder for EarthTechling. This site is my desire to bring the world of green technology to consumers in a timely and informative matter. Prior to this my previous ventures have included a strong freelance writing career and time spent at Silicon Valley start ups.